Nghe An: 3 commune officials sentenced for selling 143 plots of land without authority
(Baonghean.vn) - The investigation agency determined that the 143 plots of land that the leaders of the Party Committee and People's Committee of Nghia Thai Commune (Tan Ky, Nghe An) sold to the people were beyond their authority. Up to now, the households that bought the land have not been granted land use right certificates.
On November 26, the Provincial People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial of defendants Phan Xuan Thuy (born in 1959, former Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghia Thai commune); Mr. Thai Doan Ton (born in 1954, former Party Secretary, Chairman of the People's Council of the commune) and Mr. Phan Kim Chau (born in 1963, former cadastral officer of Nghia Thai commune) for the crime of "Abuse of power in performing official duties".
The indictment of the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province showed that before 2000, the People's Committee of Nghia Thai commune owed a sum of money. Mr. Phan Xuan Thuy, who was then the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune (2001-2006), proactively proposed a policy allowing the People's Committee of the commune and hamlets to sell agricultural land plots and land for building educational and training facilities in the commune.
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| Defendants Thai Doan Ton (standing), Phan Xuan Thuy (sitting left), and Phan Kim Chau (right) at the trial. Photo: Nhu Binh |
The policy of allowing the People's Committee of the commune and hamlets to sell land was approved at the Party Committee, People's Council and Party Committee meetings of Nghia Thai commune chaired and agreed upon by Mr. Thai Doan Ton - Party Committee Secretary, Chairman of the People's Council of the commune.
From 2001 to 2006, the People's Committee of Nghia Thai commune sold 113 plots of land (area 50,909m2), earning more than 1.1 billion VND. In 2005 to 2006, 5 hamlets in the commune sold 30 plots of land (area 18,509m2), earning more than 270 million VND.
The proceeds from the land sale were used to pay for infrastructure construction; pay off debts, and request capital to build works for the commune (more than 1.1 billion VND). The remaining amount is still in the account of the People's Committee of Nghia Thai commune.
According to the conclusion of the investigation agency, the defendants Phan Xuan Thuy, Thai Doan Ton, and Phan Kim Chau's act of allocating land and collecting money to households exceeded their assigned authority.
At the trial, the defendants admitted to the crimes as charged in the indictment and hoped to receive leniency from the law. The defendants explained that the reasons for committing the crimes were due to lack of understanding and impatience in paying off debts from previous periods as well as building essential projects to change the local appearance.
Differentiating the role of each defendant in the case, the panel sentenced Phan Xuan Thuy and Thai Doan Ton each to 24 months in prison; defendant Phan Kim Chau to 15 months in prison but with a suspended sentence.
